Spark producing mechanism



Patented Augi 25, 1936 PATENT oFFlcl:

SPARK PRODUCING MECHANISM Louis v. Aronson, Newark, N. 1., nssignor to Art Metal Works, Inc., a corporation of New Jersey Applicatlon May 10, 1932, Serial No. 010.352

11 Claims. (01.67-71) My invention relates to spark-producing mechanismsu'ch, for example, as that which forms a part of cigarette or cigar lighters, spark-producing toys or the like.

My invention relates to improved features and arrangements whereby the spark-producing mechanism is more efficient in operation and more readily assembled than the devices of the prior art.

Various other objects, advantages and charreference is to be had' to theaccompanying draw,-

ing, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of pyrophoric lighting mechanism as constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view.

partly in elevation, of the mechanism shown in.-

Fig.

; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing parts of my novel mechanism in non-assembled relation; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing other parts of my novel mechanism in non-assembled relation.

Referring to the drawing, C represents a fuel containing casing which, in accordance with a preferred form of my invention is formed'by a suitable shaping operation from a single piece of metal so that it comprises circumferentially complete-side wall structure I and a bottom wall 2, the latter being suitably provided with the openings 3 and 4. soldered or otherwise suitably secured to the side wall, structure I of the casing C is the top wall 5 which carries the main operating parts of theilighting mechanism.

Upstandin'g from the top wall 5 are the standards 6, 6a through which a supporting. Din or axle I laterally extends. In accordance with my invention, the pin 1 has a pinion 8 mounted thereon in freely rotatable relation and, as shown in Fig. 3, it is desirable .that the length of this pinion 8 should be only slightly less than the transverse distance between-the inner surfaces of the standards 6 and 6a. Freely rotatable on the.

pinion I is the hub 9c of a ratchet wheel 9, said ratchet wheel hub 9a having a wheel Ill suitably secured thereto for rotatable movement therewith, said wheels 9 and I0, therefore, being disposed in side-by-side relation and the wheel l0 '5 being provided with aserrated or roughened exterior peripheral surface.

As herein illustrated, my invention is shown as forming a part of pyrophoric lighting mechanism and, therefore, the apparatus comprises an os- 10 cillatory snufi'er lever L provided with a top sectionhaving depending parallel side sections II and Ila, each of said side sections being provided with a transversely alined gear aperture lib as appears from a consideration of Figs. 4 15 and 5.

For operating the movable parts hereinbefore described, there may. be utilized a vertically reciprocatory member M which comprises rack sections [2, I la extending toward and meshing 20 with the opposite end sections of the aforesaid pinion 8.

The hereinbefore described snuifer lever L forms a chamber which, at its end, receives a snuffer cap l3 adapted to rest upon a tube I4 25- upstanding from the top casing wall 5, said tube 1 ll having a wick l5 extending therethroug h. In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, the aforesaid snufier cap I3 is provided with an internally threaded shank i3a which extends detachably held in, assembled relationto the as 7 snuifer lever L. Preferably, the pawl I 8 which coacts with the ratchet wheel 9 is formed from sheet steel as illustrated in Fig; 5, this .pawl I 8 comprising a base section l8a perforated so as to readily pass over the snuffer cap shank "a 4 whereby the pawl-base section |8a rests upon the ;'shoulder formed at the lower surface of said 2. Thereafter, the screw I6 is insert'ed into its intended position whereby the various parts are 50 securely maintained in their proper operative positions.

Coactable with the serrated wheel II is a pyrophoric element I! which in part projects from a tube 2| extending longitudinally through the eas- 55 ing 0, the lower bushing surface 20:: of said tube 20 being suitably secured in the aforesaid opening 3. The pyrophoric element I8 is suitably biased toward and into engagement with the serably secured therein, said bushing 28 receiving.

a threaded closure cap 24. The latter may be removed to introduce fuel of any suitable character interlorly of the casing C which preferably contains a mass of cotton or othersuitable absorbent material.

The top casing wall 5 carries a vertical tube 25 closed at its lower end and open at its upper end, said tube 25 having a section thereof extending well above the upper surface of the wall 5. Reciprocatory in the tube 25 is a plunger 28 which depends from and forms a part of the hereinbefore described member M. As shown, a helical spring 21 is disposed in the chamber formed by the tube 25 and plunger 28 whereby the latter is biased in an upward direction, Fig'.'2. Preferably, a pin 28 is disposed axially within the convolutions of the spring 21, the head of said pin resting upon the lower surface of the tube 25. The use of this pin 28 is very desirable because greatly contributing to smooth operation since the pin greatly decreasts spring grind.

A spark-producing mechanism of the character hereinbefore described is readily assembled from the various component parts thereof. Preliminarily, the wheels 8 and I8 are disposed between the depending sections II and Na of the lever L with the passage through the hub section 9d alined with the gear openings llb. The pinion 8 is then passed into and through said hub section 9a until opposite ends thereof extend slightly beyond the respective exterior surfaces of the lever sections II and Ila. As a result, the teeth of the pinion 8 come into meshing relation with the slots of the apertures Ho, and the end of the pawl l8 comes into operative relation with respect to the ratchet wheel 8. The parts as thus assembled are now positioned in proper relation at the top of the casing with the snuifer cap l3 seated on the tube I4 and with the snuffer lever sections II and. i la disposed between the standards 6 and 6a. After the spring 21 and pin 28 have been inserted into the tube 25, the plunger 26 of the member M may be pushed downwardly into said tube 25 until the rack sections I2, I21: come into meshing relation, as shown in Fig. 2, with the opposite respective ends of the pinion 8. When the partshavethus been assembled and positioned as shown in Fig.2, the pin 1 may be brought into the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein opposite ends thereof are supported by the respective standards 6, 6a, and with the pinion 8 freely rotatable thereon.

Upon depression of the member M, the rack sections l2, l2a thereof rotate the pinion 8 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2. Due to the fact that said pinion 8 is in meshing relation with the gear openings I lb of the snufier lever L, it results that depression of said member M causes clockwise movement, Fig. 2, of the snuffer lever L. As a consequence, the upper end of the wick I5 is exposed and wheels 9 and ID are rotated as a unit under the influence of the pawl I8, the wheel l8 coacting with the pyrophoric material l9 to 'produce a shower of sparks which are directed to the same upwardly to cause counter-clockwise movement, Fig. 2, of the lever L until the snuffer cap l3 seats upon the wick tube l4. During the movement last noted, the pawl l8 idles over the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel 8 and, accordingly, no movement of the wheels 9 and I8 occurs at this time.

In addition to the features of my invention hereinbefore described, it is important to note that the provision of the one-piece casing C constitutes a distinct advantage over the prior art casings. produced by a stamping or other suitable operation, and the openings 3 and 4 in the bottom wall thereof may readily be produced by a punching operation or the like. This is a highly practical and emcient manufacturing operation greatly conducive to the improvement generally of devices of this character and also contributing toward economy of manufacture.

Another important feature of the present invention involves the provision of a plurality of surfaces for sealing the snuffer cap it with respect to the wick tube I4. To this end, and as shown in Fig. 2, the wick tube i4 is provided with a plurality of spaced angular surfaces Ma and Nb with which flushly engage correspondingly shaped surfaces on the wick tube I 3. An arrangement of this character is highly advantageous because preventing leakage of fuel and extending the life of any particular supply of fuel which is disposed within the fuel casing.

Another feature of the invention relates to the construction of the ratchet wheel 9, together with'its hub 9a, of brass, or equivalent, the pinion 8 being constructed-of steel, or equivalent. Since the wheel 8 is movable with respect to the pinion 8 during operation of the device, it results that a smooth, non-wearing action is obtained by the use of dissimilar metallic materials of the character specified. For a similar reason, it is desirable that the tube 25 be constructed of brass and that the plunger 28 be constructed of steel.

While the invention has been described with respect to a certain particular preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that variouschanges and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the. invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications."

What is claimed as new and des'ired'to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In pyrophoric spark-producing mechanism,

a casing, a wick tube carried thereby, and asnuifer cap adapted to seat on said wick tube,

said wick tube having a plurality of spaced inclined surfaces engaged, respectively, bycorrespondingly spaced surfaces of said snuffer'cap whereby a plural-seal Joint is produced between said snuifer cap and wick tube.

2. In pyrophoric spark-producing mechanism. a casing, a spark-producing unit car'riedthe'reby, and means for'operating said spark-producing unit, said means comprising a tube depending into said casing, a plunger reciprocatory in "said tube, a helical spring in said plunger and tube, and a pin inserted axially within the lower convolutions of said spring, said pin restingrupon the lower surface of said tube and being adapted, upon depression of said plunger, to ententhe This one-piece casing may readily be same and convolutions oi said spring disposed therein, said spring preventing saidpin from eneasin said plunger.

3. In pyrophoric sparh-producing mechanism,

a snufler lever forming a chamber having an apertured upper wall, a snuifer cap in said chain her and having a shank extending into the aperture of said upper wall, a screw threaded into said .snuiier cap shank, and a pawl having an apertured base confined on said snufler cap 4. In pyrophoric spark-producing mechanism,- a serra wheel, pyrophoric material coactable therewith, a ratchet wheel at one side of said serrated wheel, said ratchet wheel having a hub extending axially through said serrated wheel and secured thereto for rotatable mdvement therewith, and a piniondisposed axially of said and secured thereto for rotatable movement. therewith, a snuffer lever having sections dewheels.

5. In pyr'ophorie spark-producing mechanism, a serrated wheel, pyrophoric material coactable therewith, a snuffer lever having sections depending. at opposite sides of said wheel, a pinion disposed axially of said wheeland extending beyond opposite sides thereof, said pinion. extending through and being geared to-saidsnuifer lever sections, and movable rack. means meshing-with the extensions of saidpinionf. a

6. In pyrophoricysparhproducingymechanisrn, a serrated wheel pyrophoric-materiai coactable therewith, a ratchet'j wheei at} one sideof said serrated wheel, said; ratchet wheel. having a'hub extending axially through said" serrated wheel pending at opposite sides of-said wheels, apinion disposed axially of said wheels and extending be- 'yond opposite sides thereof, said pinion extending through and being geared to said ,snuifer lever sections, and movable rack means. meshing with I the extensions of said pinion.

'1. In pyrophoric spark-producing mechanism,

a serratedwheel, pyrophoric material coactable' therewith, a piniondisposed axially and interi-- orly of said wheel and extendingbeyond one side soups thereof, move rack mains meshing with the extension of'said-.pinion, and means whereby rotative movement imparted to-said pinion transa serrated wheei',}pyrophoric material coactabletherewith, a pinion; disposed axially and interiorly of, saidfwheeland extending beyond one side thereof," asnuffer lever, the extension of said pinioniextending through and being geared to a section'ofsaid snuifer lever, and movable rack means es hing with the extension of said 10., I LP ric'spark-producing mechanism, serrated W 'rpyr phoric material-coactable therewith, pinion disposed axially of'said wheel and extending-beyond the opposite sides thereof, a snufler leve opposite respective ends of said pinion extending through and being geared to sections of said snuifer lever, and movable rack means meshing with the respective extensions ofsaid pinion. a

' 11. In pyrophorlc spark-producing mechanism, a serrated whe'eL'pyrophoric material coactable therewith, a pinion loosely disposed interiorly of saidyvheeland extending beyond the opposite sides thereof, a 'snuifer lever, opposite respective endsof said pinion extending through and being geared to sections of said snuifer lever, the remote ends-of said pinion extending beyond said snufler lever sections respectively, and movable mote ends of said pinion.

mp1s v. ARoNsoN;

, rack members meshing with the respective re- 

